Don and Sherry Brown are the owners of Kansas Country Store, 728 Cherokee St., Leavenworth.

1. Don, can you tell us about your new business Every Era Uptown Showroom, where it is, when it is open, and how you got the idea for it?

Every Era Uptown Showroom is located at 101 N. Broadway, on the corner of Shawnee and Broadway. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. My wife and I felt there was a need in our community for slightly used and new items at affordable prices and we were looking for a way to help with the costs of operating the spay and neuter clinic. Darlene Klaus has been invaluable in organizing, remodeling, and stocking the store. We are very fortunate to have her as the manager of the store.

2. All the profits from the new business will go to the HOPE spay/neuter clinic that you opened inside your business, Kansas Country Store. Can anyone in the community bring an animal in to be spayed or neutered and how much does this cost?

Yes. Everyone is welcome to bring dogs and cats to our facility. Our prices are consistent with the low cost clinics in the K C area. In cases where the pet owner needs financial assistance, that can usually be arranged as well.

3. Every Era Uptown Showroom carries a variety of items from furniture, to tools. How can community residents help out with the store?

We have a very wide selection of items in the store. The greatest help that we ask from the community is to consider donating gently used items that they no longer need from their garage, kitchen, household, etc.. We have had donations from people that are moving, from an estate, and some that just want to help the animals. All donations are tax deductable.

4. About how many people have utilized the spay/neuter clinic since you have opened it? What were the main motivations that made you want to help reduce the number of homeless and struggling animals in our area?

Help Overpopulation of Pets Economically (HOPE, Inc.) has sterilized approximately 2,100 animals since September, 2011, when we began. I was motivated to build & open a clinic in Leavenworth after serving on the Board of Directors of Leavenworth Animal Welfare Society, Inc (LAWS) for several years. I am proud to be associated with LAWS. They have helped financially to sterilize nearly 1,000 animals per year. That is an impressive accomplishment! However, the closest low-cost clinic was nearly 20 miles away, so having a clinic in our own town seemed to be a win-win situation for our pets, their owners and the community.

5. You are making a real difference in our community by helping to reduce the number of strays. What's your best advice for area residents about caring for animals by controlling overpopulation?

Page 2 of 2 - Being a responsible pet owner is not only proper food and health care. Many health issues and aggressive behavior can be avoided with sterilization, and it is so very important to have pets sterilized before there is an unplanned litter, instead of having to cope with puppies and kittens that may not find GOOD homes, be proactive. Solve the problem before it happens.